Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide

About the Project

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide is an exciting photography project that highlights the work of Lendwithcare, an initiative of leading aid and development charity CARE International UK, which empowers entrepreneurs to work their way out of poverty with dignity through the provision of micro lending and business skills training.

Lendwithcare allows people in the UK to uniquely connect with an entrepreneur in a developing country who needs a loan to support their small business. The project includes powerful photo essays featuring inspiring women entrepreneurs in five of the countries where Lendwithcare operates: Pakistan, Ecuador, Zimbabwe, The Philippines and Zambia.

A selection of the work will be on display at Oxo Tower Gallery from 28 Feb – 11 March – tickets for the launch event on 28 February can be reserved here. The London exhibition is an integral part of CARE International’s wider #March4Women campaign, a month of action for gender equality.

There will also be a photography talk and screening about the work as part of Brighton International Women’s Day 2018 events in partnership with Brighton Women’s Centre, Brighton Dome and Brighton Museum. The event will take place on 3 March, 12.30 – 2pm at The Old Courtroom, Brighton Museum. To reserve tickets please register here.

Microfinance is a sustainable solution to alleviating poverty, creating a virtuous cycle of investment and income. Women are disproportionately affected by poverty yet are key to development in poorer nations. Studies have shown women are the change agents of the family: they invest in businesses to generate income and spend a greater proportion of this income on the welfare of their families and communities – improving housing, nutrition and children’s education. Microfinance lending can be particularly effective when directed at women: empowering them to plan a stable future.

The work will be used in campaigns by the core partners and key sponsors to promote the benefits of micro finance lending schemes which help some of the world’s poorest women. This campaign is a collaboration between FotoDocument, Lendwithcare, part of CARE International; and RubyMoon, a sustainable fashion business, which currently lends 100% of its net profits through Lendwithcare. The commissions and exhibition have been made possible through the support of international law firm Hogan Lovells.

Full online galleries will launch on 28 February alongside the Oxo Tower Gallery exhibition in London.

ANA CAROLINE DE LIMA

CYNTHIA MATONHODZE

SHAI CHISHTY

VEEJAY VILLAFRANCA

TSVANGIRAYI MUKWAZHI

HowtheLendingWorks

Please join us for our London launch on 28 February at Oxo Tower London. You can reserve your free space here.